Benefits Of A Windowsill Herb Garden
Some people like to grow herbs indoors. This is a good start if you’re also considering a small space to grow your herbs. Once indoor, a windowsill herb garden will be most appropriate for your plants, since this type of plant needs as much sunlight as it can get.
Keeping a windowsill herb garden is beneficial to those who want to stay close with their plants all year round, and want to keep the garden manageable. Herbs are quite easy to grow in containers indoors. Just take heed of the water and light requirements of the plants. Herbs are also transferred indoors during the winter, to keep the plants from the harsh cold.
Choose the herbs that do not grow so tall or wide. Your container and your windowsill should be large enough to accommodate your plants. Maintain the herbs by continually trimming them off. They will grow thick and bushy if you nip at them from time to time. During winter, however, minimize clipping the plants as they need to be insulated from the cold.
For maximum light exposure, place your windowsill herb garden along the south, where the sun shines the brightest and longest. Though herbs usually love 10 to 12 hours of sunlight exposure, this may not be true for all herbs. There are tender herbs which may burn up in this kind of set up. Identify which herbs are really sun-loving before placing them in your southern windowsill herb garden. Rotate your plants within the week to make sure every part receives the needed sun.
Southern windowsill herb garden may provide a good amount of sunlight, but it may not always be enough. To compensate for this, add an artificial light just above your plants so they will receive the right amount of light to thrive. Fluorescent light is most commonly used.
Place your plants on pots or any container with a good drainage. You can put the herbs on containers with holes at the bottom, to drain out excess moisture. A waterlog can cause the roots to rot, and can even trigger disease infestation. To further avoid water from being stuck at the roots, use the potting mix instead of garden soil. Potting mix should be light and drains water well to avoid any soil born diseases. A general rule for watering your herbs will be, water only if the topsoil is a little dry.
Chives, mint, rosemary, oregano, thyme, sage, basil, marjoram and parsley are your sure bet in your windowsill herb garden. They抮e easy to grow and don’t grow very big. Apply fertilizer once every month, and don’t overdo it. Too much fertilizer can affect the growth and even the flavor of your herb. Cut back on application during winter months as herb growth also slows down.
